BZFD vs NYT vs IAC vs GCI vs GOOGL

For growth investors, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the stronger pick with 15. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -37. 1% for IAC InterActive Corp. (IAC). Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) offers the better valuation at 36. 8x trailing P/E (29. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate IAC InterActive Corp. (IAC) a "Buy" — based on 33 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the cheapest at 36. 8x versus The New York Times Company at 38. 4x. On forward P/E, The New York Times Company is actually cheaper at 29. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Alphabet Inc. wins at 0. 99x versus The New York Times Company's 1. 04x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) delivered a total return of +239. 8%, compared to -97. 9% for BuzzFeed, Inc. (BZFD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GOOGL returned +996. 1% versus BZFD's -97. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The New York Times Company (NYT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

28β versus BuzzFeed, Inc. 's 2. 48β — meaning BZFD is approximately 797% more volatile than NYT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The New York Times Company (NYT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 8% for Gannett Co. , Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is pulling ahead at 15. 1% versus -37. 1% for IAC InterActive Corp. (IAC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: IAC InterActive Corp. grew EPS 79. 5% year-over-year, compared to -68. 1% for BuzzFeed, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, GOOGL leads at 12. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the more profitable company, earning 32. 8% net margin versus -31. 2% for BuzzFeed, Inc. — meaning it keeps 32. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GOOGL leads at 32. 1% versus -25. 8% for BZFD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IAC leads at 66. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 99x versus The New York Times Company's 1. 04x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, The New York Times Company (NYT) trades at 29. 4x forward P/E versus 109. 7x for IAC InterActive Corp. — 80. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IAC: 14. 0% to $49. 17.

In this comparison, NYT (0.

8% yield), GOOGL (0. 2% yield) pay a dividend. BZFD, IAC, GCI do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, The New York Times Company (NYT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

28), 0. 8% yield, +576. 0% 10Y return). BuzzFeed, Inc. (BZFD) carries a higher beta of 2. 48 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (NYT: +576. 0%, BZFD: -97. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (BZFD (Communication Services) and NYT (Communication Services) and IAC (Technology) and GCI (Communication Services) and GOOGL (Communication Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: BZFD is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NYT is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; IAC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; GCI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; GOOGL is a mega-cap high-growth stock. NYT pays a dividend while BZFD, IAC, GCI, GOOGL do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.